Western Michigan's key players for 2018: No. 7 Luke Juriga paves the way at guard

The Broncos have seven home games at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo.
Nick Buckley/The Enquirer

Enquirer counts down the 20 players projected to be most key to Western Michigan's success in 2018

Western Michigan guard Luke Juriga blocks during the 81st Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic between Western Michigan and Wisconsin at AT&T Stadium on January 2, 2017, in Arlington, Texas.(Photo: Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

Western Michigan begins fall practices on Aug. 2, and 29 days later the Broncos will kick off the season against Syracuse on Aug. 31 at Waldo Stadium.

Second-year coach Tim Lester and the Broncos are coming off a 6-6 season and will seek to recapture the Mid-American Conference title they won in 2016.

Leading up to fall camp and before the incoming freshmen class arrives, we're making an early projection at the top 20 players who will be most key to the Broncos' success in 2018:

No. 7: Luke Juriga

Luke Juriga(Photo: Courtesy of WMU Athletics)

Position: Guard

Hometown (H.S.): Aurora, Illinois (Marmion Academy)

2017 stats: 12 games, 12 starts

Why he's No. 7: Few players have been as dependable as Juriga over the last two years. The right guard has started all 26 games, coming away with 19 victories. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound mauler helped pave the way for a Broncos running game that ranked in the top 25 in the nation in both 2016 and 2017. The son of former Denver Broncos guard and Super Bowl champion Jim Juriga, he came to WMU as a two-star recruit. After redshirting his freshman year, he joined an experienced offensive line that included future NFL draft picks Taylor Moton and Chukwuma Okorafor. He generated some buzz for himself as a sophomore, garnering second-team all-Mid-American Conference status, and he has been named to the Outland Trophy Award watch list, given annually to the best interior lineman in college football. WMU is expected again to be a potent rushing team, and Juriga will be a major factor in clearing out defenders and creating lanes for the backfield.

Nick Buckley can be reached at nbuckley@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-966-0652. Follow him on Twitter:@NickJBuckley